Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Third of Britons still prefer to do banking in person, survey finds

Third of Britons still prefer to do banking in person, survey finds

People would rather visit a bank branch to seek human advice as cost pressures mount, a survey found.
A third of people in the UK would rather do all their banking in person, a survey has found, amid a swathe of new branch closures from high-street lenders who say in-person services are not being used.

People still want to go into their local bank branch to seek human advice amid cost-of-living pressures, despite increasingly being able to do so digitally, the survey found.

While 44% of over-55s said they would rather visit a branch, the survey found it is not just the older generations who are hesitant to fully switch to mobile banking.

A fifth of 18 to 34-year-olds said they prefer to do all their banking in person, according to the survey of more than 2,400 banking customers by professional services company Accenture.

Meanwhile, more cash was handled by the Post Office in March than any month since last September, excluding Christmas when withdrawals are usually at their highest.

New figures from the company showed cash deposits and withdrawals over the counter reached £3.29 billion during the month, across its 11,500 branches.

People are increasingly utilising their local post office to manage money as a result of banks shutting branches, which often make it “the only location where consumers and businesses can do their banking”, it said.

It comes as two of the UK’s biggest high-street banks, NatWest Group and Lloyds Banking Group, revealed plans last month to close more than 80 branches between them across the country.

The latest plans mean that in the first three months of this year, banks have already earmarked 213 sites for closure, with NatWest closing the most, followed by Barclays.

Nationwide, TSB and Virgin Money have also announced a smaller number of closures each.

Banks say they are cutting branches because they have noticed big drops in the number of customers visiting, as people opt for using their mobile phones or computers to manage their money instead.

Many now offer services such as mortgage calculators, mortgage offers before credit score checks, and information hubs online, as well as being able to switch current accounts, freeze a card or take out new savings products through mobile apps.

But Accenture’s research found that a significant proportion of people still want to visit their bank to access human advice, from setting up a savings account to taking out a mortgage or life insurance.

"For now, for some, nothing beats being in the room when it comes to complex and confusing financial matters"

Furthermore, while 38% of Britons now have a digital-only bank account, just a tenth use it as their main bank, it found.

People still want the option to visit a branch or speak to staff, or have concerns about data security and the financial stability of digital banks, Accenture found.

Tom Merry, managing director of banking strategy for Accenture, stressed that the desire for human interaction and reassurance at branch visits do not come “at the expense” of digital banking.

He said: “The big banks must balance a fantastic digital experience with human interventions which really matter.

“For some, these can be easily delivered via improved remote video and voice experiences without a branch.

“But for now, for some, nothing beats being in the room when it comes to complex and confusing financial matters.”

He added it will be critical to find the right role for branches in a digital era rather than being “allowed to wilt”.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Budapest Central European Fashion Week Kicks Off
U.S. Celebrates Labor Day
Hungarian National Team Captain Scores Epic Goal
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Japanese Customer Sways from VW to BYD after “Unbelievable” Test Drive amid Dealership Expansion
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
White House Eyes Budapest for Peace Talks
Cave Diving Beneath the Streets of Budapest
Another American Restaurant Chain Opens in Budapest
Hungarian Opposition Politician Supports Ukrainian Commander
Opposition Leader Threatens Media Outlets
American Airlines Adds New Flights to Budapest
F1 Hungarian Grand Prix Wraps Up
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
U.S. Trade Representative says Washington still negotiating trade deals after court rules tariffs illegal
Von der Leyen says Europe drawing up 'precise' plans to send troops to Ukraine
Kremlin accuses Europe of hindering Trump’s peace efforts in Ukraine
×